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Sirius
Sirius AB or Alpha Canis Majoris has long been one of the brightest objects in the night sky of Earth, and has been important to human mythology and poetry since antiquity. Known as the Dog Star, the system is comprised of a near main-sequence star and a white dwarf, and it is bright due to its inherent luminosity and because of its nearness to Earth, at 8.6 LY away. It is part of the Earth Republic and the Republic Sector of space, and is home to Sirius Colony, a fiercely-independent space station with Protectorate status. Sirius is the beginning of the Pollux Corridor, which is policed by the ERS Gryphon; though Sirius Colony polices itself, the Juniper settlements and mines fall under the Gryphon's jurisdiction. Sirius Colony An orbital space station colony founded in the 22nd century, orbiting Sirius A at about three times the range of Earth around Sol, due to the star's brightness; the colony would then be about 16 AU from Sirius B, a white dwarf (making it closer than Uranus but further than Saturn, and definitely visible from Sirius Colony). The colony fought for economic and judicial independence from the Earth Republic in 2151, and is protected and managed by the Sirius Governing Council; however, the colony is de facto run by three Syndicate families (mafia), called Kai, Artemios, and Oswine. The Protectorate status refers to its relationship with the Earth Republic military. While Sirius has certain rights to independent determination, the Earth Republic is obligated to protect Sirius, and Sirius is obligated to participate in its own defense. Juniper Dome Mines One inner planet, named Juniper, remains after Sirius B's nova event, and it is very high in iron and other metals. This planet, once known as Sirius Ab and just at the outer edge of Sirius A's habitable zone at 5.9 AU, is barren and frozen. Seventeen domes protect miners as they drill underground for these minerals, which they refine on-site. Some manufacturing also takes place under these domes. Numerous business concerns invest in these mines, while others are managed strictly by Sirius Colony. Miners have facilities on-site, but cycle in for periods before returning to the base for required recovery time, usually on the scale of three months on, one month off. The work is cold, dangerous and requires a great deal of skill. Dog Star Asteroid Mining Concern A thin zone between Sirius A and B, further out than Juniper's orbital zone, proves a strong and stable place for a great deal of asteroids, largely remains of the material once orbiting Sirius A. These asteroids are high in material similar to that found on Juniper, and are thus valuable mining resources. A coalition of ships and installations, answering to Sirius Colony and companies invested there, form the Dog Star Asteroid Mining Concern. Much of the proceeds eventually go toward the colony's maintenance, in a number of ways; generally the miners' families may be found on the Colony, if their whole family is not directly involved in the mining concern and operation of a ship. The installations have gradually grown larger and larger, some becoming more like full space stations in themselves. The three largest asteroids, with the greatest concentration of mining, are known loosely as Hastor, Brenna, and Tenro.